Wireless communications devices such as tablets and smartphones have become nearly ubiquitous among modern consumers, perhaps due to their usefulness for messaging, navigation, and other functions. These devices sometimes support various operations for providing useful information to consumers such as, for example, traffic reports, ratings and reviews, news, product and service information, combinations thereof, or the like. In some instances, data is presented to a user of the devices via a display, though some information may be presented to users via audible or tactile feedback such as ringers, vibration alert devices, or the like.
Users also can interact with the devices to input information. In various embodiments, the information can be input using a touchscreen, a multi-touch screen, a keyboard, voice commands, combinations thereof, or the like. While these devices can be useful for many users, some users may not be able to access functionality. For example, a user who is blind or has low vision may be unable to use a traditional display generated by a navigation application of a smartphone, since the navigation application may be configured to convey information using a map display. Similarly, if a touchscreen is used to present a dynamic keyboard or other input interface, a user who is blind or has low vision may be unable to easily input information using the designated input mechanisms as the key locations and/or configurations may change in various applications and/or environments, and these changes may be undetectable to a blind or low vision user.
In the case of a user who is blind or who has low vision (e.g., ablepsia, anopia, or the like), a user who is deaf or has other hearing impairment (e.g., paracusis), and/or a user who has one or more of various physical, cognitive, and/or sensory impairments or disabilities, various obstacles and/or threats may exist in the outside world that may be undetected by the user due to the impairment and/or disability. For example, a deaf or hearing impaired user may not recognize the sound of an approaching vehicle, a blind user or user who has low vision may not see an obstacle in his or her path, or the like. As a result, some users of wireless communications devices and/or other devices may be unable to access some functionality of the devices, or may be unable to use the functionality in a meaningful way.